Answers to questions about medication during pregnancy

Mothers are not superhuman, they are all mortal fetuses, if they are sick during pregnancy, they still have to be treated in time to prevent the condition from deteriorating, only by maintaining their health can they take care of our little babies for a longer time. So many women will have questions, will taking medicine during pregnancy have an impact on the baby?

It is true that most of the time it will have an impact.

But not all, there are still many drugs that prove to be relatively safe during pregnancy.

Therefore, women take medicine during pregnancy, more to have more eyes, and the doctor to explain the situation clearly, while minimizing the harm to the baby, take care of themselves.

1. Tips for medication during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a dynamic process, and taking medication at different times may have different effects on the fetus.

The last menstrual period of 3-4 weeks, almost within 17 days after fertilization, at this time the embryo can still be said to be a cell mass, the drug is very sensitive, at this time the drug damages the embryonic cells, then the embryo is basically unable to enter the subsequent developmental stage, which will cause embryonic death or miscarriage. Conversely, if the embryo can continue to develop smoothly, it means that the drug does not have a big impact on it, and pregnant women do not have to be afraid of taking the drug very early in pregnancy, worried about the impact on the fetus. Such an effect we call an "all or nothing" response, i.e. either no effect or an effect leading to miscarriage, generally not causing fetal malformations.

5-12 weeks of pregnancy, is the embryonic organ differentiation and formation period, this time is called teratogenic sensitivity period, it is easy to be affected by external factors such as drugs and lead to fetal malformations, this period should minimize the use of drugs, including general health care products, tonics, try not to take. If medication is necessary, it must be used cautiously and safely under the guidance of a doctor. If there is a history of taking medication, antenatal diagnosis (including ultrasound) can be performed at 16 to 20 weeks of pregnancy to further understand the growth and development of the fetus and to exclude fetal malformations.

In the second and third trimesters, this period is when the basic differentiation of the fetal organs is completed and continues to grow. During this time, the possibility of drug-induced malformations is greatly reduced, but some drugs may still affect the normal development of the fetus, or it is necessary to use drugs under the guidance of a doctor and regularly monitor fetal development.

The central nervous system and sexual organs of the fetus have a long time of differentiation and development, until the third trimester of pregnancy to maintain the sensitivity to teratogenic factors, and the infringement in the third trimester of pregnancy can also affect the development of fetal intelligence, so the use of neuroactive drugs should still be very careful, strictly in accordance with the doctor's instructions.

2. How to take medicine in these situations during pregnancy?

(1) Fever

Pregnant women have long-term fever, especially high fever, which will not only affect their own health, but also have a greater impact on the fetus, will damage the development of the fetal nervous system, or need to deferve in time. If the fever is reduced, first of all, we must look for the cause, whether the infection is where it appears, treat the infection in time, and the corresponding fever symptoms will disappear. If the fever is reduced simply, Drugs such as Tylenol and ibuprofen have an impact on the fetus, and it is not recommended to take it, mainly considering physical cooling, such as ice packs, alcohol baths, etc.

(2) Diarrhea

Occasional diarrhea during pregnancy, if terminated soon is not a big problem, but prolonged diarrhea, especially in the third trimester, can induce contractions and trigger preterm birth. Therefore, when diarrhea occurs, it is also necessary to treat it in time. If diarrhea, berberine, montmorillonite powder are more effective and safe during pregnancy, and at the same time, we must pay attention to drinking more water and taking electrolyte preparations appropriately to prevent dehydration.

(3) Constipation

Constipation during pregnancy is also a very common condition, but it is not a disease. There are more treatment methods here, in addition to drinking more yogurt, eating more vegetables, lactic acid bacteria preparations, pregnant women's prune juice and so on are good choices. Or some mild medications, such as lactulose, are safe. Long-term use of Kaiserin, especially in the third trimester, is not recommended to prevent contractions and lead to preterm birth.

(4) Antibiotics

Infection can lead to many symptoms, and persistent infection will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the health of pregnant women and babies, but there are many types of antibiotics, many of which are toxic to the baby, but many are clinically and evidence-based medicine prove to be applicable during pregnancy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) divides drugs into five categories: A, B, C, D, and X based on the effects of animal experiments and clinical drug experience on fetal teratogenicity. Class A has been shown to have little effect on the fetus in clinical trials, but there are very few types of drugs in this class. Category B refers to the fact that no adverse effects of the drug on the fetus have been seen in animal reproduction studies (no controlled studies of pregnant women have been conducted). Side effects of the drug may be found in animal reproductive studies, but these side effects have not been confirmed in controlled women in the first 3 months of pregnancy (nor is there evidence of harm in the next 6 months). The vast majority of drugs that can be taken during pregnancy are class B drugs, all penicillins and the vast majority of cephalosporin drugs are class B drugs, commonly used ampicillin, ceframidine, ceftatriazine and ceftadine for rescue in severe infection are all class B drugs. In addition, jenomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, and metronidazole are all Class B drugs. Among anti-tuberculosis drugs, ethambutol is a class B drug.

Pregnant women should pay more attention to the principle of medication, try not to use drugs when they can not use drugs, and try not to use intravenously when they can be taken orally, and can play a role in small doses, do not increase the dose of drugs, and do not combine drugs if they can be used alone. Therefore, once an infection occurs during pregnancy, a pregnant woman must go to the hospital and choose to use antibiotics under the guidance of a doctor.